let his cafe be what it will! fuch a ftate is furely a begun Heaven upon earth, and therefore I fhould be glad of your concife remarks upon it.

Truth. First, By divine contentment in the will of God, in this or the other trouble we meet with, we have this happy advantage, viz. to fetch in the comfort from those things which we have not actually in poffeffion, and enjoy more comfort than those who have them; as for instance, suppose I have not a collection of herbs by me, yet if I have the water that is diftilled from them, I thereby enjoy the whole benefit of the herbs. So if I have not a poffeffion of fuch an estate, and feeming comfort which others enjoy, yet by contentment in my ftation, I fetch in more than they which have large poffeflions of this world. As merchants, by the art of navigation, bring home and poffefs the riches of the Eaft and Weft-Indies, fo by divine contentment, we poffefs the whole world; for the mind of man cannot poffefs a larger portion than fatisfaction, whether in this world, or that which is to come.

There is fomething a little pertinent to our purpose, in Plu tarch's life of King Pyrrhus, when one Cyneas came to him, to perfuade him not to go to war with the Romans, because they were good foldiers, faid he, "what benefit shall we have "if we gain a victory over them? Pyrrhus then said, we "fhall then conquer all Italy with ease. Then faid Cyneas, it " is likely we may; but when we have won Italy, will then "our wars end? To which Pyrrhus answered, if the victory be "so far obtained, then the way will be broad open to atchieve

great conquefts; who would not then go to Africk, and so "to Carthage? But then faid Cyneas, when we have all in our "hands, what fhall we do in the end? Then Pyrrhus, laugh❝ing, faid, we will then be quiet, take our ease, make feafts, "and be as merry as poffible. To which Cyneas said, what "now hindereth us from being quiet and merry together, fince "we enjoy at home, without further travel and blood, what "6 we only aim to enjoy at the peril of our lives abroad?" So we are apt to think, if we had such a thing, we would then have fuch a thing; from one thing we go on to another, and fo are never contented; which made a good man once say, "I am happier in GoD, without the mercy that I defire, than "I fhould be, I am perfuaded, if I enjoyed it." And certainly, our contentment doth not confift in obtaining the thing we defire, but in GoD's framing our fpirits to our condition; as you may obferve, fome perfons live more happy without an eftate than others with one; many live very poorly upon their

own land, whi it othe: s, who fa m their land, by their good induftry and care, live comfortably.. So a Chriftian, who has learnt, through grace, this art of contentment, may live more happy, without an eftate, than other difcontented Chriftians with one; there is more comfort in the grace of contentment, than in any other condition whatever, it fetches in a treasure of happiness from what we do not outwardly poffefs. Thus we enjoy more than all the world, without (it may be) claiming any part of it. The happiness of contentment confifts, in its being the best and only portion the Chriftian can enjoy, as thereby he poffeffes the marrow and quinteffence of every com fort that the world and the word of God can afford, 2 Cor. vi. 10. As having nothing, yet poffeffing all things.

The excellency of this divine contentment is, in being fatisfied out of love to GoD, being willing to be at his difpofal in every respect, out of pure love to his ways. This is the top of experience, and the life of faith. When I get contentment, by having my own defires fatisfied, and my will obtained, this is a mercenary and felf-love; and fuch a contentment extends no farther than in that one particular; whereas the grace of contentment teaches the foul fatisfaction and comfort in every station of life; it fills the mind full of comfort, and makes an Heaven upon Earth. For what is Heaven, but the peace and reft of the foul in GoD? Reft is the enjoyment, praise is the employment, but God is the center of all; and the foul, who poffeffes contentment in GoD, in every ftation and affliction, comes most near to the enjoyment of the bleffed in Heaven; thereby tranflated from the unhappiness of a murmuring, repining fpirit, to the joy of praife, love, and delight in God; it was this which made a judicious preacher fay, "That this con"tentment, in fome refpects, was better than Heaven." Friendly. How can that be?

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Truth. My dear Friendly, I will answer your query in the expreffions of the aforefaid pious perfon. "In Heaven, fays "he, there is no overcoming of temptations, they are not put. "to any trials by afflictions, they have the exercise of grace in "a way of praite, but then they have nothing but encourage"ment to it, and thofe that are there, their grace is perfect, "in which refpect they excel us. But for Chriftians to be in "the midst of afflictions, trials, and temptations, to have all "their graces exercifed with daily ponderous troubles, and yet "to be fatisfied in CHRIST, in his word, and promifes; in "the midst of all their forrows, this feems to be an honour "that God hath from us which he hath not from Angels, "neither will he have from us in Heaven. For is it fo much

"for one that is in Heaven, to be loving and praising GOD, "as it is for a foul who is in the midft of trials, temptations, "and deep afflictions? For this foul to go on bleffing, praifing, "and being contented in GoD; is, I fay, an excellency that "thou shalt not have in Heaven, and GOD fhall not have this "kind of glory from thee there; be content, prize this con"tentment, be willing to live in this world as long as GoD "fhall pleafe; and do not fay, O that I was delivered from all "these afflictions and troubles in this world. It is true, if thou "waft, thou wouldeft have more ease and joy to thyself; "but here is a way of honouring GOD, and manifefting the "excellency of grace, under thine afflictions, that God fhall "not have from thee in Heaven, therefore be fatisfied and "quiet, be contented with thy condition, and fay, bleffed be "GOD that I have a contented heart, others have not; which " is a rich portion from the LORD, though he deny thee many "outward comforts which others enjoy, yet he has in con"tentment given thee more than all other comforts."

Secondly, Another advantage of contentment is, a fure bulwark and defence againft temptations; it is an observation, that the Devil loves to fifh in muddy waters; but where he finds a foul calm, fedate, and at peace with God, he will hardly attempt to meddle, because it is fecurely garrifoned within the walls of falvation; but on a murmuring difcontented foul the Devil eafily faftens a thousand temptations, becaufe he finds it fo void of God, who is the believer's fhield and defence; whereas a foul that enjoys peace in the station it is in, is impregnably fortified against the temptations of Satan; his temptations make no impreffion; the contented Chriftian fays in this cafe, as Paul in another, none of these things move me. Luther fays, "GOD does not dwell in Babylon but in "Salem." Now Babylon fignifies confufion, and Salem peace. GOD doth not dwell in fpirits which are in confufion and difquietude, but in those who are poffeffed with spiritual peace and tranquillity: peace and humility are the Chriftian's fafeguards against temptations. Remarkable was the answer of Marius Curis, who had bribes fent him in order to induce him to be unfaithful to his country, which were delivered, by perfons appointed for that purpofe, as he was at dinner on a difh of turnips; to whom he faid, " that man who can be contented "with this fare, will not be tempted with your rewards. I "thank God that I am, and as for rewards give them to those "who cannot be content to dine upon a difh of turnips." Much to the fame purpose was the faying of a Philofopher, as

He

he was eating herbs and roots. One faid to him, "If you "pleafe Dionyfius, you need not eat herbs and roots." anfwered him, "If you would but be content with such mean "fare you need not flatter Dionyfius." From hence it plainly appears, that contentment is a fhield againft temptation; and if natural content be of fuch great worth and value, of how much more is fpiritual contentment which arifeth from the word of God, and the confolations of the HOLY GHOST.

Thirdly, Contentment fits the foul to receive mercy at the hands of God; for to be contented with little, is the way to have more. Contentment not only makes us think much of what we have, but it frames us to receive more with humility. A wife parent will not give a child the thing it defires, while it acts unruly; but when the child is quiet without it, then he will give it what it defireth. Our hearts deal with Gon juft as unfroward children do with us; if he feem to deny us the mercy we ask, we foon, like children, grow froward and perverfe; though GOD intends the mercy, by the voice of his providence, he fays, you fhall not have it yet, I will fee you quiet and calm; and when he hath humbled us, then he will hand the mercy to us; for while we are vexing, fretting, and quarreling with this thing, or with this perfon and the other, we never receive any mercy at the hand of GoD. But when our hearts are in a meek and lowly frame, and can fay with their heart, LORD, it is fit that thou fhouldeft do with thy duft as thou shalt think fit; I will lie at thy feet, and acknowledge thy fovereign difpofal. LORD, give me ftrength to honour thy name under this affliction; and do with me accordingly. I will be content if thou giveft; and if thou givest not the mercy I feek, I will be content; thy will fhall be my will, I defire to have no other will but thine; Father, not my will, but thine be done. When the will is thus bowed to the difpofal of fovereign mercy, the LORD commonly fhews his name JEHOVAH-JIREH; mercy breaks forth like the fun from under a cloud, with refulgent beams, to chear our drooping hope, ftrengthens our refignation to the divine will, and prepares our mind for the reception of future 'mercies. For instance, suppose a beggar came to your door, begged once and again; and becaufe you do not immediately wait upon him, you should hear him fret, vex, and complain that he stays fo long; would you think fuch an object deferving your favour? No, you would rather fay to him, you should ask better; that is, be more humble, and fubmiffive to your will, before he hould have any thing at your hands. Or fuppofing there

fhould be feveral beggars at your door, and you overhear them fay, after it may be they had waited fome time, come, let us ftay, it may be they are bufy; it is meet that we fhould wait; it will be happy if we should have any thing at the laft. Now, as fuch a fubmiffive contented frame as this would engage an act of kindness; fo divine contentment makes us fit to receive any mercy at the hands of GoD with a becoming deportment and gratitude; and infpires us with zeal and thankfulness. Having food and raiment, let us learn therewith to be content. Paul faith, Phil. iv. 11, 12. For I have learned in whatsoever State 1 am, therein to be content; I know how to be abafed, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am inftructed, both to be full and to be hungry; both to abound and to Suffer need.

I have learned, fays the Apoftle, contentment in every condition, in all things I am inftructed; the word which we tranflate inftructed, is derived from a word that fignifies a mystery, which implies, that the Apoftle had through grace learned this providential mystery of God's proceedings, that he had a thorough acquaintance therewith, and was become mafter of this divine art.

In whatsoever ftate I am; the word ftate is not in the original; in what I am, what foever befals, or concerns me, let me have little or nothing, I am content; which word, in the original hath in it a peculiar beauty and fignificancy, and its full fenfe, can only be applied to Gob, as it fignifies felf-fufficiency.

This illuftrates the happy bleffing of Chriftian contentment. As GOD is all-fufficient and independent, fo the Christian, by the grace of contentment, enjoys, communicatively, a felf-futficiency, and happiness peculiar to thofe that have, by divine teaching, learned in whatsoever ftate they are therein to be content; by which means the foul comes to enjoy an excellency the most near to GOD himself. For the greatest glory of the Divine Being is to be effentially happy, happiness itself. And what is the excellency and glory of GoD but this? Suppose there were no created being, neither in Heaven or Earth, GOD would remain the fame happy and bleffed Being, independent of all creatures whatsoever. So a Chriftian, who takes up his whole contentment in GOD, would ftill be happy, though it should be the pleasure of Providence to cut off all creature and outward comforts from him which others enjoy, Heb. xi. 36, &c. And others had trials of cruel mockings and fcourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments. They were fened, they were fawn asunder, were tempted, were flain